Use of Medical Marijuana Is Soaring in Canada

Canadian marijuana stocks can surge on the slightest hope -- from legalization in California where most don’t even have exposure -- to forecasts for explosive sales growth. But here’s a concrete reason for support: use of the drug for medical purposes is surging in Canada.

People registered to use medicinal marijuana reached 235,621 by the end of September, up 40 percent from the end of March, according to quarterly figures released Thursday by Health Canada, the nation’s public health agency. About 0.6 percent of the country’s almost 37 million population use pot for pain and other afflictions.